The threat of computer viruses, worms and other types of malicious software are now commonplace in computer systems. And as the number of data-centric mobile devices grows (e.g., mobile telephones), these devices also will become attractive targets for computer viruses, SMS spam and other malicious software. Many of these handheld devices run the same operating systems thus making it easier for unscrupulous parties to distribute malicious software and to disrupt mobile telephone usage. In addition to frustrating consumers, computer viruses and message spam cause individuals and companies to suffer from lost productivity and the high cost of fixing any problems.
For example, more and more malicious software is now targeting operating systems of mobile telephones. The “SYMBOS_FONTAL” computer virus affects mobile devices running the Symbian operating system including a variety of mobile telephones. The virus is downloaded over the Internet or other network and pretends to be a Nokia antivirus application; it tricks the user into installing it on their mobile telephone. Upon installation it displays a benign message and prompts the user to restart the device. Once the device restarts the virus causes the device to constantly restart; the only way a to fix the problem is to restore the factory settings on the telephone, thus erasing any personal information or other data that the user had stored on the telephone.
In addition to the threat of computer viruses and other malicious software, a mobile telephone is subject to other risks because it is not inherently a secure device. For example, a system bug such as an illegal MDL file name length can require a user to reset the telephone to the original factory settings. On the Symbian platform, the MDL file name length should be less than 8 characters. But, the system does not check the installed MDL file name length. Once a file with more than an 8-character name is installed, the telephone cannot be restarted. Other problems such as these may require the telephone to be reset.
Further, personal information stored on a mobile telephone is also at risk due to a variety of other factors such as the telephone hardware, software and power. For one, malicious software might delete and modify personal information. Also, a hardware malfunction may mean that personal information in internal storage cannot be read or cannot be written to.
If any one of these problems affect the telephone recovery can be difficult and important information and data can be lost. The telephone may cease to function normally, may crash, may constantly restart, or the telephone may simply not start at all. Often, the only recourse for the consumer is to reset the telephone and all personal information and data that has been stored on the telephone is lost. Currently, a prior art technique is to use synchronization software that allows a user to periodically back up data from their mobile telephone to a computer. This approach, however, is awkward in that a consumer must take the time and effort to physically connect a mobile telephone to his or her computer and perform the backup process. If a consumer is hit by a computer virus before they have a chance to back up important data, the data will be lost. This approach also requires that a computer be available and is certainly not the most convenient approach for the consumer. Even if data has been backed up, it is time-consuming and awkward to restore the data.
Accordingly, a technique is desired that would allow users of mobile telephones and other wireless handheld devices to simply and easily backup important information and to restore that information.